Veep in United Arab Emirates?

According to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, H.E. Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President of Ghana is visiting the United Arab Emirates.

Aliu Mahama left Accra on Sunday, Aug. 27, for Thailand at the invitation of that country's government.

Mr. Abdul Rahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, Director General of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), yesterday received the Vice President, accompanied by H.E. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ghana, H.E. Rashid Bawa, Ghanaian Ambassador to the UAE, and H.E. Amandi Hussein, Consul Officer of Ghana in Dubai, as well as a number of top Ghanaian government officials and people of the press.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Rashid Al Mazroui, Member of the DCCI Executive Council, Mr. Hamad Buamim, Deputy Director General of the DCCI, Mr. Atiq Juma Nasib, Director of Business Development Department in the DCCI, Mr. Sultan Majid Lootah, Acting Director of Business Promotion Department in the DCCI, and a number of top businessmen and members of the DCCI in Dubai.

Al Mutaiwee welcomed the Ghanaian Vice-President and his accompanied delegation and highlighted the strong bilateral economic and trade relations which have recently been developed, especially after the UAE Trade Fair in Ghana which was held in Accra last April. He stressed the key role played by Dubai after it became a regional and international hub for business, exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East, in addition to its continuous efforts to develop all other economic sectors such as tourism and financial and logistics services through the giant projects being constructed in the emirate.

“The DCCI’s success participation in the UAE Trade Fair in Ghana has helped opening new channels of communication with the Ghanaian business community with the aim to set up mutual economic projects in both countries. The exhibition success has encouraged us to take part again in its second session next year with the participation of a maximum number of private sector corporations in Dubai and other emirates which we will invite them to explore the investment opportunities available in Ghana,” said Al Mutaiwee.

Mr. Rashid Al Mazroui, Member of the DCCI Executive Council, highlighted the DCCI’s intention to encourage investment in Ghana stressing the Chamber’s commitment to invite a large number of government and private establishments, especially those operating in Dubai’s free zones, to take part in next year’s exhibition. He noted that the DCCI considers sending a trade mission of businessmen and investors to Ghana to closely be introduced to the investment opportunities there and hold joint business networking meetings with Ghanaian businessmen.

H.E. Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice-President of Ghana, stressed his country’s interest in enhancing the diplomatic, economic and trade relations with Dubai and the UAE in general. He expressed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to develop these relations through attracting more businessmen and investors from the UAE to establish various investment projects in different economic sectors. He also highlighted the significant role of the Ghanaian Embassy in the UAE in setting up a strategic partnership with Dubai.

“Ghana offers a lot of investment opportunities for Arabic and UAE businessmen whom we are trying to attract in accordance with the general strategy of the Ghanaian government. These opportunities could be found in sectors such as real estate, construction, setting up giant shopping malls, extracting gold and diamonds, establishing hospitals, processing of Aluminum and producing cocoa,” said the Ghanaian Vice-President.

He pointed out that Ghana’s economy is stable and that investors could enjoy no restrictions on transferring profits. He also stressed the important role played by the private sector establishments in supporting the national economy. He invited the companies operating in Dubai to take part in the UAE Trade Fair in Ghana next year, adding that this exhibition has become an annual economic event. He also encouraged more business delegations from the UAE to visit Ghana to discover its investment potential. The Ghanaian Vice-President highlighted his government’s intention to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the DCCI to further enhance the bilateral trade ties.